A survey of Babesia spp. infection in Rattus mindanensis mindanensis (common field rat) collected from Calumpit, Bulacan

• Main Author: Dionisio, Angelito J.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1995
• Subjects: Babesia; Blood > Parasites; Rats; Babesiosis
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1333
• Institution: De La Salle University

Giemsa-stained thin blood films obtained from 100 field rats (Rattus mindanensis mindanensis) collected from three different barangays (Gugo, San Jose and Iba Este) in Calumpit, Bulacan were examined. A 8.0 prevalence for babesiosis was noted, with percent parasitemia ranging between 0.3 to 25.2. Seven of the eight positive cases noted were collected from barangay Gugo. Six female and two male rats were infected. The higher number of female older rats infected seems to suggest that they are more susceptible to Babesia spp. infection. This however, needs further verification. Infected erythrocytes appeared swollen and parasites were observed in diploid, triploid and clustered arrangement.